With the likes of Jennifer Hawkins strutting her stuff for Australia on the international stage, the newly crowned Miss Universe Australia Scherri-Lee Biggs is set to stun audiences world-wide with her mega-watt smile and down-to-Earth persona.

We chat to Scherri-Lee about her skincare secrets, pageant life and her plans for international reign...

What does you daily makeup and skincare routine involve?

I like to keep it quite simple and use natural products, definitely not products that are heavily perfumed. Generally I like to wear quite light makeup, which is why I was so glad that Nude by Nature was the sponsor for the competition. We have to wear makeup all day long, and thank goodness it's mineral because otherwise it'd be caked on all day and getting it off at the end of the day would be a big task.

For skincare, in the morning I like to use a hot towel and something basic like Cetaphil to wash the night's sleep off. At night I like to use something with salicylic or glycolic acid to rejuvenate the skin, and also a vitamin C serum. Jojoba oil is something I absolutely love because it's very good at rejuvenating the skin overnight.

The typical ‘Australian beauty' is usually associated with looking very natural and easy going, is this something you've tried to embody?

Yes, definitely. Obviously, the competition is still a pageant and you have to wear heavier makeup on stage. I have also been a performer in the past, so I know that stage makeup is completely different to your normal makeup during the day. But with Nude, you can build on your makeup; so I can go from my barely-there daytime makeup and build on it quickly for a night event, and even before going on stage.

Who are your beauty idols?

I love classic looks - I think Cate Blanchett is so elegant, and Rose Huntington-Whitely is so beautiful. Cindy Crawford, Beyonce - I love a real woman!

Moving to the pageant side of things, what has it been like backstage throughout the competition?

Hectic! There's obviously the stereotype that things are very bitchy backstage, but there's just no time for it. Because it's so busy, everyone's more zombie-like than anything - we're constantly stressing about things, practising things and pre-empting what's going to happen that the only way I can describe it is hectic.

What have been the main differences for you between modelling and pageants?

I'm not sure about the comparison internationally, but I've found that there's definitely a healthier image overall in both modelling and pageants in Australia. The Miss Universe Australia pageant has a very healthy image as a competition, which is why I decided to compete.

If you had any advice for someone who wants to follow in your footsteps, what would it be?

You have to be really sure of yourself. I'm not going to preach to everyone that I'm a completely confident, sure-of-myself kind of person 100 percent of the time - like everyone, there are times when I don't feel very good.

When you're put in the spotlight, questioned about your values and people are saying "tell me more about you", you feel like saying "where do I begin!" - thinking about what you hold close to yourself, what your thoughts are about the world and being sure of who you are will really help you feel prepared and more confident.

Also, it's important to brush off negativity from people if you come across it because, really, people who bring you negativity are just negative people.

How do you mentally prepare yourself and combat self-consciousness for strutting on stage?

For me, this has got a lot to do with performing and leaving your personal, day-to-day self off stage and switching on your stage self. Because it's such a blur when you're on stage you get into the zone and don't think about what you look like, you just go for it.

It's more about making a presence -when I'm going down the runway, I'm not thinking "oh my god, my thighs are jiggling" like I would be when I'm off stage, I'm thinking "I am going to mince this runway" when I see the judges.

The most important thing is just to smile, enjoy it and think to yourself Victoria's Secret, Victoria's Secret... [laughs]

Where do you want this to lead? Is it Victoria's Secret?

Oh, I would love that! [laughs]

But it's very hard to know where I see myself, it's about making the most of opportunities that arise. Right now I'm focusing on my international reign and a general strive towards something exciting.

People ask "what do you want to have achieved in 10 years?" - I just want to be able to sit at the end of the 10 years, look back and say, "That was amazing".